Stars Without Number: Original Core Edition

(TAKE NOTE! A Stars Without Number RevisedEdition is now available here, as well as a free version available here. Original edition materials remain compatible with the revised edition, however, though if you want the core book for the game you're best off going with the new revision. It is the only book needed to play the game.)

The expanded Core Edition of Stars Without Number is available for those bold exporers who demand more grist for adventure For those intrepid starfarers who scorn primitive "paper" technologies, Sine Nomine offers you this fully bookmarked PDF. Inside, you'll find the full content of the free edition of Stars Without Number, plus more than forty pages of bonus material exclusive to the Core Edition.Be

Rules and historical information on AIs and robots, including AI player characters. Assemble your artificial heroes with a point-buy character creation system and an array of armature hulls for them to use. Included information covers non-sentient guard bots and expert systems as well!

Rules and the historical context for mechs ranging from almost human-sized powered suits to hulking heavy assault mechs to the enigmatic psychic war machines that were the ancient psimechs. Strap in for those special occasions that call for the really big guns. Nine sample mechs are included, along with a design system for creating your own.

Society creation guidelines and generation tables to help GMs flesh out their worlds with vibrant, living cultures and their ages-old conflicts. Every culture comes with built-in struggles to fuel adventures on that world and give GMs a quick and easy hook for pulling in the players.

All print copies contain the exact same expanded content you'll find in the Core Edition, with mechs, AIs, and planetary society construction guides included. If you buy your print copy from this page, you'll get it in the fighting alien cover. If you'd rather have the classic starfield cover, just order your print copy over here, at the Free Edition page.

If paper books aren't your style, grab this PDF now for this exclusive content!

The year is 3200 and mankind's empire lies in ashes.

The Jump Gates fell six hundred years ago, severing the links between the myriad worlds of the human diaspora.

Now, the long isolation of the Silence falls away as men and women return to the skies above their scattered worlds.

Will you be among them?

Stars Without Number is a retro science fiction role playing game influenced by the Old School Renaissance and partially inspired by the great fantasy role-playing game editions written by Tom Moldvay and Frank Mentzer. The contents are compatible with most old school clones and are designed to be easily imported to your own favorite gaming system. In addition to a complete pre-made stellar sector, Stars Without Number offers GMs and players the tools to create their own sandbox-style adventures in the far future.

Classic mechanics adapted for science-fiction adventure in the far future

Extensive GM support for building adventure-crammed sandbox settings more quickly and easily

World building resources for creating system-neutral planets and star sectors

100 adventure seeds and guidelines for integrating them with the worlds you've made

Domain rules for experienced characters who want to set up their own colony, psychic academy, mercenary band, or other institution

While Stars Without Number can be fitted to a wide range of settings, the backdrop provided is a vast canvas of scattered stars awaiting exploration by intrepid spacefarers and bold explorers. Tramp starships flit from world to world, trading the treasures of distant suns as reckless wanderers find adventure beneath alien stars. Elite mercenary bands launch surgical strikes from orbit, grav-tank dropcraft crashing down on the heads of native kings while guerilla fighters plot to draw knives in the dark of two moons. Alien eyes watch human interlopers from the acidic mists of forbidden worlds, their shining, poisonous relics plundered by daring hands. All the classic elements of sci-fi adventure have room to shine in Stars Without Number. Come make them your own!

Where is ship combat located? Ship combat here is overly complicated. I was under the impression there were Crew Points used for tasks and responsibilities so every player can enjoy spaceship combat, but that's nowhere to be found. What am I missing?

Dillard RJune 10, 2017 3:38 am UTC

PURCHASER

Not pleased. I purchased the physical book and I just found out you intend to revamp the entire system. You plan to Kickstart this new system this summer. I am glad that you decided to clean up and improve this older version, but it would have been nice to know you were planning on doing it before I spent over 30 dollars after taxes on this older less acceptable version. Which of your current games would you suggest using to replace the system used in this version of SWN?

Geoffrey WAugust 01, 2017 12:47 pm UTC

"Revamp the entire system?"

He's not revamping the entire system. He's cleaning up the presentation, messing with some of the systems, but mostly just adding more options and prettier art to the whole thing.

Kevin insists that the new edition must be backward compatible.

Also, I will note, that the comment directly below this one mentions the new edition.

Dillard RAugust 29, 2017 6:56 pm UTC

PURCHASER

No. Based on the reading I have done on the internet (forums etc) this sounds like a completely new system. Which is great, b/c the old one is horrible. I just wish I had known ahead of time. Comments don't count (such as the one below) b/c they are not official. Also note that while this comment is present the developer has never replied to it. Just as he has never replied to my comment. Which I think speaks volumes about his willingness/ability to support his product and his ethics.

Geoffrey WSeptember 01, 2017 5:02 am UTC

I don't really think Kevin needs to answer for his ethics. He communicates more than pretty much anyone else in the industry, near as I can tell, and is certainly more open about his business than most.

As for the system revamp, howsabout you just go take a look at the beta documents that are publicly available on the Sine Nomine google plus group?

I think you're gonna find that it's still an OSR game.

Todd SApril 11, 2017 10:19 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Hi Kevin, I noticed on the Godbound Kickstarter you mentioned a revised version of SWN that you want to Kickstart in June. Is that still on track?

chris DMarch 08, 2017 4:51 pm UTC

So the difference between the two versions is you get full print copy but different covers but the pdf you get with this one is full pdf and the other one is the slimmed down one with missing chapters?

Kevin CMarch 15, 2017 4:49 am UTC

PUBLISHER

Correct. If you buy the starfield-cover hardcover and want the full-version PDF, you can drop me a line at sine.nomine.pub over at gmail and I can get you a code for it.

Kevin CFebruary 13, 2016 4:52 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

The reason there's no hardcover option at present is because my source files for the hardcover got corrupted some years ago. As it was my first serious RPG, I was still sadly careless with my file control. In order to make a hardcover, I'd have to remake the source file, and that's very difficult to find the time for in my current work.

There is no difference between any print editions of SWN. Every version, softcover or hardcover, starfield or alien cover, has the full core game text in it.

Ju FSeptember 20, 2016 3:04 am UTC

If I could I would send you a pdf of the core version. I'm not sure if I can over this site. Maybe if you gave me an email or something.
I'd really like to own a hardcover of this book. And if you made one I would definitely buy it.

Jake HMarch 10, 2017 10:11 pm UTC

Could we use a service like Lulu to convert the PDF of this to a Hardcover? For private use.

Kevin CMarch 15, 2017 4:48 am UTC

PUBLISHER

I'd consider that fair for private use, yes.

Luke WFebruary 13, 2016 4:36 am UTC

Where is the hardcover option mentioned in the blurb?

albert RNovember 08, 2015 12:26 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Why is their no hardcover option for this version? I don't get it. This one is supposed to be the enhanced version with the extra 50 pages. The only option for hardcover is for the free version? That doesn't make sense.

Is there any difference between the softcover of this edition and the Hardcover of the Free Edition besides the cover?

Benjamin SAugust 14, 2014 7:06 pm UTC

I've got the free edition and I would love to order the core edition with the alien cover in hardcover. Will it be made available?

Nikolas SJuly 18, 2014 5:55 am UTC

i'm curious what is the deference between this version and the free one?

Benjamin SAugust 14, 2014 7:03 pm UTC

AFAIK one chapter about robots and mechs + one chapter about creating societies in sandbox gaming.

William MJune 22, 2014 9:19 pm UTC

When hardcover edition of Alien cover is available I'll order it...hint...hint...

Michael SFebruary 18, 2014 7:06 pm UTC

Will a hardcover version of this edition of the book be made available?

I'd just buy the hardcover of the star field version, but I want the updated PDF not the free edition PDF.

Levy KJune 04, 2014 1:56 am UTC

PURCHASER

I would love to see a hardcover version of this.

Samuel KJuly 29, 2014 4:52 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Ditto - I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

Bobby JDecember 05, 2013 6:14 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Just purchased the print/pdf version of this, and the pdf shows the page numbers all left justified. None of the odd numbers fall to the right. Page three should fall to the right, pg four to the left, page five to the right and so forth.
Am I to expect my print copy to be like that? If so, I could have saved the cost of s/h and gotten Kinko's to print for $25 plus a coil binding.

Bobby JDecember 26, 2013 3:42 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Pleased to say that I got my softcover in, and the pagination was exactly as it should be. Thanks!
But, will we be getting an updated pdf with corrected page numbering?

Jonathan Provo PSeptember 17, 2013 2:30 am UTC

PURCHASER

So what exactly is the difference between this version and the Free edition?

Sean Duwane FOctober 04, 2013 12:36 am UTC

Quote
"Rules and historical information on AIs and robots, including AI player characters. Assemble your artificial heroes with a point-buy character creation system and an array of armature hulls for them to use. Included information covers non-sentient guard bots and expert systems as well!

Rules and the historical context for mechs ranging from almost human-sized powered suits to hulking heavy assault mechs to the enigmatic psychic war machines that were the ancient psimechs. Strap in for those special occasions that call for the really big guns. Nine sample mechs are included, along with a design system for creating your own.

Society creation guidelines and generation tables to help GMs flesh out their worlds with vibrant, living cultures and their ages-old conflicts. Every culture comes with built-in struggles to fuel adventures on that world and give GMs a quick and easy hook for pulling in the players." End Quote

Just as it says the above...See more is what is unique to this edition. They are not available anywhere else as separate PDF or in other formats. Free Edition is simple the book minus these extras. Personally I can't see paying $20 to get a measly 40 pages of extras. IMHO that is.

Perplexed by the System. Why do I need to roll 2d6 for skills and 1d20 for combat? System is full of inconsistencies, but don't worry the author is preparing a new Kickstarter for summer 2017. He has made lots of changes just visit his Google + page to [...]

A fantastic system, with all the detail you would expect but creating a new cut above the rest feel. However, the author is currently revising these rules as of this review (July 2017) and the Beta Core rules are out there for you to download [...]

I love this system! Yes, there is a new version in progress, but this one is definitely worth it in the meantime. The system is highly customizable. Character creation in the core book is very simple. The game itself moves pretty fast and leaves [...]

This gem was released in 2011 and was written by Kevin Crawford and Sine Nomine Publishing. SWN is a big book, 254 pages filed with maps, sheets, a great index, but no OGL statement that I kind find.
To me this book feels more like the work of hard sc [...]

I wasn't that interested in OSR products. But I was looking for a game that would scratch my Sci-Fi space itch. Much to my suprise SWN did the job just fine. Suddenly I was hooked on hacking OSR games to make my own adventures. This book is both [...]

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